Kanagawa police officer took dozens of old driver's licences, lost them after drinking
In short
A senior constable in his 20s in the security section of Kanagawa Prefectural Police's Hodogaya station in Yokohama took dozens of old driver's licences that had been collected from the public at licence renewal, and lost them in a bag in August after drinking, sources close to the investigation told several outlets on October 8. Asahi Shimbun put the number at 31 and reported the licences were used to check the personal details of people under investigation by the security division. The prefectural police are looking into how the licences were taken.
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A senior constable in his 20s in the security section of Kanagawa Prefectural Police's Hodogaya Police Station, in Yokohama's Hodogaya Ward, took dozens of other people's old driver's licences without authorisation and then lost them, sources close to the investigation told several outlets on October 8. The licences had been collected from members of the public when they renewed their driving licences. The prefectural police are investigating how they were taken, and Mainichi Shimbun reported that disciplinary action against the officer is being considered. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
The case came to light after the officer lost a bag in August. Mainichi Shimbun reported he lost it in late August after drinking with colleagues at an establishment, and that it was handed to police as lost property. Tokyo Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun reported he left the bag at a restaurant in Yokohama. Asahi Shimbun gave a different account: after about five hours of drinking with acquaintances at the end of August, he left a rucksack on a train station platform; station staff found 31 old licences in other people's names in an inner pocket and reported it to police, and the officer retrieved the rucksack the next day. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Accounts also differ on where the licences came from. Mainichi Shimbun said they appear to have been collected from people renewing licences at Hodogaya station. Tokyo Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun reported they belonged to residents of Yokohama's Kohoku Ward, covered by the station where the officer previously served. Asahi Shimbun reported they had been slated for disposal by the traffic section of another station, where he earlier worked in the security section. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
According to Asahi Shimbun, the licences were used to check the personal details of people under investigation by the security division. The officer was quoted as saying he had not realised they were in his rucksack. The prefectural police do not permit such a practice, Asahi reported, adding that it may have violated provisions of the Personal Information Protection Act and that the police are checking other stations in the prefecture for similar practices. [ 7 ]
Under internal rules, old licences are cut up and destroyed with senior officers of a station's traffic section present, according to Tokyo Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun. Mainichi Shimbun reported they are normally shredded with station executives present, and that the officer appears to have obtained them before disposal by some means. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
Old licences are supposed to be shredded under the supervision of senior officers, and the case came to light only because the lost bag was handed in. Asahi Shimbun reported the practice may have breached provisions of the Personal Information Protection Act and that the prefectural police are checking whether other stations did the same. Mainichi Shimbun reported the police are considering disciplinary action against the officer.
Key facts
- The officer is a senior constable in his 20s in the security section of Hodogaya Police Station in Yokohama's Hodogaya Ward, Kanagawa Prefectural Police. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- He took dozens of other people's old driver's licences that police had collected at licence renewal; Asahi Shimbun put the number at 31. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- In August, after drinking, he lost a bag containing the licences; it was handed in and the licences were found. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Under internal rules, old licences are to be cut up and destroyed with senior station officers present. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Asahi Shimbun reported the licences were used to check personal details of people under investigation by the security division, a practice the prefectural police do not permit. [ 7 ]
- The prefectural police are investigating how the licences were taken. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A senior constable in his 20s at Hodogaya Police Station's security section took dozens of old driver's licences collected at licence renewal without authorisation. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- He lost a bag containing the licences in August after drinking, and it was handed in as lost property. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Old licences are normally destroyed by shredding or cutting under the supervision of senior station officers. [ 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- Kanagawa Prefectural Police are investigating how the licences came to be taken. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- Where the bag was lost. Tokyo Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun say he left it at a restaurant in Yokohama; Asahi Shimbun says he left a rucksack on a train station platform and station staff found it.
- Which station the licences came from. Mainichi Shimbun says they appear to have been collected from people renewing licences at Hodogaya station; Tokyo Shimbun, Nishi-Nippon Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun say they belonged to residents of Kohoku Ward covered by his previous station, and Asahi Shimbun says they came from another station where he previously worked.
- Whom he was drinking with. Mainichi Shimbun says colleagues; Asahi Shimbun says acquaintances.
- Purpose of taking the licences and the exact number. Only Asahi Shimbun reports the figure of 31 and that they were used to check personal details of investigation targets.
- Whether the officer will be disciplined. Mainichi Shimbun reports only that the police are considering disciplinary action.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- NHK reports a Kanagawa police officer took dozens of old driver's licences collected at renewal. [ 1 ]
- Mainichi Shimbun reports the officer lost a bag holding dozens of the licences in August after drinking, and that discipline is being considered. [ 2 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun reports the licences belonged to Kohoku Ward residents under his previous station's jurisdiction. [ 4 ]
- Asahi Shimbun reports 31 licences were found and that they were used to check personal details of investigation targets. [ 7 ]